Tag Archives: Chinese lessons

Simple Chinese: Thank You

7 Sep

To live in China, it helps to pick up a little Mandarin here and there!

Thank You = 谢谢 = Xièxiè = Shee-eh Shee-eh (said really fast)

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Random Chinese ~ Numbers

14 May

Now that I’m living here in China, I’m starting to pick up a little bit of Chinese 🙂 Some of this is from classes, some from my textbook, and most from talking to the locals. But knowing Chinese is very important here, since the English of the older generations (who manage the businesses) is still not very fluent.  

I thought I’d share a few words as I learn them; maybe they will help other new laowai （foreigners) who come to check China out 🙂

Warning, DeceptivelyBlonde (DB) pronunciation uses no tones and is only meant to get you by if needs must 🙂 It’s the redneck Chinese.

Numbers 

Number = Character = Pinyin = DB Pronunciation

The Numbers are pretty easy – you need to know 1-10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000. Then you’re pretty much done and can put them together.

0 零 Líng Leeng
1 一 Yī Eee
2 二 Èr Are
3 三 Sān Sahn
4 四 Sì Seuh
5 五 Wǔ Woouh
6 六 Liù Lew
7 七 Qī Chee
8 八 Bā Bah
9 九 Jiǔ Jeew
10 十 Shí Shur
20 二十 ÈrShí 2 + 10 AreShur
100 一百 YīBǎi 1 + 100 EeeBai
1，000 一千 YīQiān 1 + 1000 Eee Cheeahn
10，000 一万 Yī Wàn 1 + 10,000 Eee Wahn

Advanced Numbers

Once you have these foundational numbers, you can start putting together all the other numbers!

Basically, do the following order:

  • Number of 10,000s
  • Number of 1,000s
  • Number of 100s
  • Number of 10s
  • Number of 1s
132 一百三十二 YīBǎi SānShí èr （1 x 100)(3 x 10)(2） Eee Bai Sahn Shur Are
1，132 一千一百三十二 YīQiān YīBǎi SānShí èr (1 x 1000)(1 x 100)(3 x 10) (2) Eee Cheeahn Eee Bai Sahn Shur Are
11，132 一万一千一百三十二 YīWàn YīQiān YīBǎi SānShí èr (1 x 10,000))(1 x 1000)(1 x 100)（3 x 10）（2） Eee Wahn Eee Cheeahn Eee Bai Sahn Shur Are
111，132 十一万一千一百三十二 ShíYīWàn YīQiān YīBǎi SānShí èr (11 x 10,000)(1 x 1000)(1 x 100)(3 x 10)(2) Shur Eee Wahn Eee Cheeahn Eee Bai Sahn Shur Are
1，111，132 一百十一万一千一百三十二 YīBǎi ShíYī Wàn Yīqiān Yībǎi SānShí èr （111 x 10,000）（1 x 1000）（1 x 100)(3 x 10)(2) Eee Bai Shur Eee Wahn Eee Cheeahn Eee Bai Sahn Shur Are

See, easy!

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Random Chinese ~ My Name Is. . .

7 May

Now that I’m living here in China, I’m starting to pick up a little bit of Chinese 🙂 Some of this is from classes, some from my textbook, and most from talking to the locals. But knowing Chinese is very important here, since the English of the older generations (who manage the businesses) is still not very fluent.  

I thought I’d share a few words as I learn them; maybe they will help other new laowai （foreigners) who come to check China out 🙂

Warning, DeceptivelyBlonde (DB) pronunciation uses no tones and is only meant to get you by if needs must 🙂 It’s the redneck Chinese.

What’s Your Name?

Question:

English: What’s Your Name? 

Characters: 你叫什么名字 ？

Pinyin: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì? 

DB Pronounciation ~ knee jou shehn mah meeng zuh

Answer: There are two answers- formal / informal – informal is okay for us laowai usually.

Informal

English: My name is . . . (Olivia)

Characters: 我 叫 . . . (我 叫 Olivia)

Pinyin: Wǒ jiào Olivia

DB Pronunciation ~ woah jou  . . . 

Formal

English: My name is . .  . (Olivia)

Characters: 我的名字是. . . (我的名字是 Olivia)

Pinyin: Wǒ de míngzì shì . . . 

DB Pronunciation: woah duh meeng zuh shuh

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